Man of the House
by XFangHeartX
Summary: Inuyasha teaches Ichiro how to fish. Read and review, and no flames or hate.


Inuyasha:

Man of the House

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Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

Ichiro, Yamako, and Sanka Higurashi © Me

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Summary- In which Inuyasha teaches Ichiro how to fish.

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It was the beginning of sunset in the village. The sky was tinted a light pink, showing the near end of the day, and everyone was just finishing up the last of their chores before retiring for the night. As Kagome was taking the laundry off the clothesline and placing it into a basket while Sanka clung to her back in a papoose, Yamako looked up and cooed gleefully before he stood up and toddled toward Inuyasha, who chuckled as he picked him up.

"Hey, Yama," Inuyasha greeted as he blew a raspberry on the two-year-old quarter-demon's tummy, causing him to squeal with laughter.

"Welcome back," Kagome said as she went up and greeted her husband with a kiss on the cheeks, causing him to return it with a kiss on the forehead for her, then giving Sanka a kiss on the top of her head. "How'd things go?"

"A few demons here and there," Inuyasha replied. "Nothing Miroku and I couldn't handle."

"That's good to hear," said Kagome.

"Where's Ichi?" Inuyasha asked as he looked around. "Still off playing with his friends?"

"No, Roku and Tsukihime went home a while ago," Kagome answered. "Ichiro went to the creek by himself."

"The creek?" Inuyasha repeated while Yamako grabbed at one of his forelocks. "What for?"

"I dunno," Kagome replied. "He didn't really say. You know how he can be, sometimes."

"...I...better go look for him," Inuyasha said as he handed Yamako to his mother before he turned and ran off, headed into the forest. Kagome could only sigh and shake her head before she looked to her infant daughter and her 2-year-old son.

"I swear," she began, "your brother worries me more than your father ever did."

"Mommy," Yamako cooed, causing Kagome to chuckle as she kissed him on the cheek.

XXX

"Ichi~! Ichiro!"

Inuyasha walked through the forest, looking around for his eldest son. He sighed as he put his hands to his hips in exasperation, wondering just where Ichiro got this impulse to wander off at times. He swears that he didn't get it from him...or did he?

Before he could ponder on it further, he heard a light splash, followed by a cry of frustration.

"Darn it!"

"Ichi?" Inuyasha asked as he headed toward the sound, and sure enough, there was Ichiro, darting about in the shallows of the creek, trying to grab at a fish that continuously slipped out of his grasp. The 8-year-old quarter-demon grunted as he tried to keep a grip on the slippery creature, only for it to jump out of his hands and swim away down the current, causing him to sigh in defeat. However, his pricked ears caught the sound of snickering nearby, causing him to turn and see his father, who soon burst out into a full-blown guffaw as he leaned against a tree, much to Ichiro's embarrassment.

"Ah, come on, Dad!" Ichiro complained. "You don't have to laugh!"

Inuyasha only chuckled as he wiped a tear from his eye.

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized as he regained his composure. "So, what's with all the splashing about?"

"I'm trying to catch fish for dinner," Ichiro answered. "I've been at it for a while, but I can't get any."

"Catch fish, huh?" Inuyasha asked as he rolled up his sleeves and walked into the water which was only about up to his ankles. "Step aside. I'll show you how it's done."

Ichiro blinked at his father before he walked out of the water and sat on the bank. As for Inuyasha, he stood very still, his arms open and his clawed fingers outstretched.

"Dad, what are you doing?" asked Ichiro, only to be promptly shushed.

"Quiet," Inuyasha whispered as his eyes darted about until he spotted something to his left, causing him to raise his left hand, then swing it down into the water, and before Ichiro knew it, there was a large trout, flopping on the grass next to him.

"Whoa!" Ichiro exclaimed. "How'd you do that, Dad?!"

"The trick is," Inuyasha began as he flexed his fingers, causing the joints to pop, "you don't chase the fish. You gotta let them come to you. Now you try it."

Ichiro eagerly nodded before he got back into the water and took on the same pose as his father, his eyes darting about and a determined expression on his face as he looked for an appropriate target. He soon spotted one swimming right towards him, and once it got closer, he swung his right arm down and tossed the fish out of the water. This one was quite large but not as large as the one Inuyasha had caught, but it was still something.

"I did it!" Ichiro cheered.

"Great job!" Inuyasha praised. "Now see if you can catch a few more!"

Ichiro nodded before he kept trying. There were times he had to reminded to stay still and not chase after the fish, and sometimes, he tried to grab one a little too early, not to mention that there were ones that were a little too small to be eaten and had to be put back in the water. After 7 more tries, Ichiro managed to at least catch 5 trout that Inuyasha scaled, cleaned, and gutted with a knife, then tied them all up on a string.

"Okay, I think we caught enough, pal," Inuyasha said. "Time to head back before it gets too dark."

"Right!" Ichiro nodded as he walked alongside his father.

"...Say, Ichi," Inuyasha spoke up, causing his son to glance up at him. "Why were you tryin' to catch fish, anyway?"

"...Because," Ichiro began, "you said that while you're gone, I'm the man of the house, right?"

Inuyasha's eyes went wide.

"Aren't I supposed to help Mom take care of Yama and San while you're away with Uncle Miroku?" he asked. "You usually do all the hard stuff, like catch dinner and all that."

"...I see," Inuyasha said with a soft smile. "You're really growin' up, huh, Ichi?"

Ichiro only gave his father a toothy grin, which caused him to return it with a grin of his own.

Soon, the two of them arrived back at the house, where Kagome was waiting.

"Hey, there you two are!" Kagome waved.

"Hi, Mom!" Ichiro exclaimed as he ran up and hugged her. "Look what I got!"

Inuyasha then presented his wife the fish that their son had caught.

"Oh, wow!" Kagome exclaimed in amazement. "Ichi, you caught all these?"

"Well...Dad caught one," Ichiro replied before he stuck his chest out, proudly, "but I caught the rest of them!"

"Well, look at you, being the provider in the family," Kagome smiled as she hugged Ichiro. "Thank you, honey."

"You're welcome, Mom," Ichiro replied, while Inuyasha reached down and ruffled his hair.

"That's my boy," he praised, causing Ichiro to laugh.

**THE END**

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I just can't shake it, can I?

Review, please!


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